National Mfg. buildings sit empty in Sauk Valley

No word from Stanley on plans for Sterling, Rock Falls sites

ROCK FALLS – About 6 months after Stanley Black & Decker completed its closure of National Hardware, the company has yet to comment on the future of its two buildings.

The facilities remain the property of Stanley despite a deal it announced Oct. 9 with Wisconsin-based Spectrum Brands Holdings, which bought Stanley’s Hardware & Home Improvement group for $1.4 billion in cash.

The buildings at 1 First Ave. in Sterling and 41 U.S. Route 30 in Rock Falls were not part of the deal, Spectrum spokesman Dave Prichard said.

“The land and the buildings will remain with Stanley Black & Decker,” Prichard said. “It’s part of the agreement in the overall contract.”

Stanley Black & Decker has not returned calls for comment.

Locally, Stanley closed completely in May. The Sterling and Rock Falls operations were moved to Denison, Texas, and to Xiaolan, China.